Leo
by simplysmut
Summary: DM/HG. It had been six years to the day since Hermione had found herself thrust into the unknown by her master. This is the rest of her story. One-shot sequel of AkashaTheKitty's Master. Stands understandably enough alone.


**Disclaimer: Most of it's JK Rowling's. The people, the place, all that. **

**The original plot, however, belongs to AkashaTheKitty, in her story Master. Great story. You should most certainly read it, given this is the sequel and won't make much sense otherwise.**

**Heed her warnings, though, since her story has some graphic scenes. This story doesn't, but it's posted under this name since, well, the original story does. So there you have it. Enjoy.**

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It had been six years to the day since Hermione had found herself thrust into the unknown by her master. Weary and uncertain about what lay ahead, she had found Elvira in the village, used the money he had given her, and caught the next fairy to the continent. She followed his instructions meticulously, in a daze, and she didn't stop until she had completed them all.

Once on the continent, she and Elvira had managed to find a peaceful little wizarding village in what she knew as the only English-speaking portion of France. The villagers didn't ask questions, and she and Elvira didn't tell.

It was a peaceful existence.

He had made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in the child from his words. He had even referred to the baby as an "it," almost as though he were afraid to recognize the humanity. He treated his own offspring as he had that girl within the last party Hermione had attended; he had forced himself to forget it was human.

The days had passed by into weeks, which had turned into months and Hermione had delivered. The healer who helped her was a wonderful woman named Trinia, who had turned into a great friend of theirs indeed. She had somehow seemed to understand their predicament, and she had taken the two young women under her wing until they had become established within the town.

Elvira had proved herself a worthwhile healer, and she had gone to work as Trinia's assistant in the small office available in the town. Hermione had become the organizer of the village library, which suited her perfectly and also gave her the flexible hours she had needed to be with her child.

In a carefully considered and yet possibly dangerous move, Hermione had named her baby boy Leo. She remembered that all her master's family had been named after the stars, and she made her choice based on the lion, the animal of the Gryffindor house. To Hermione, it was the perfect compilation of her master's past and hers, and quite possibly the only way she'd ever have left to remember him.

Except, of course, through Leo himself. The little boy could've been Draco Malfoy himself in the flesh for all their similarities. The only thing he did have of his mother's was hair just a bit more wild and unruly than he might otherwise have had. She was grateful time and again for her master's decision to have them move to the continent. It would be much safer for Leo, as well as for herself and Elvira, as far from the Dark Lord as they could get.

Besides, Hermione was happy there, safe and content with her books.

As the months had turned to years, Hermione found herself raising quite the rambunctuous little boy. She and Elvira were hard-pressed to keep track of him, and he always seemed to be getting himself into trouble. Once, on the eve of his fourth birthday, Hermione had had to discipline him rather strongly for summoning what seemed to be all the toads in the village right into their living room, just because Hermione had made him release one he had been rather fond of back into the wild.

On the exact six-year anniversary of their time spent in France, Hermione received wonderful news from the continent from a source that wished to remain anonymous. The Dark Lord had finally been defeated! Harry and Ron had finally come through the war, unscathed, and lived to tell the tale, as the source said.

Hermione and Elvira found themselves in hushed conversation late into that night. By morning, they had reached their decision. It was to be the first decision Hermione had made of a truly independent nature since her master had freed her six years before. They were returning to England.

Everyone exchanged tearful good-byes and thank you's as the two witches boarded the fairy back to England, the little blond boy in tow just between them. Hermione couldn't help but be reminded of the last time she had boarded this exact same boat in the opposite direction. She hadn't wanted to leave that way, but she trusted her master's decision. She knew it was for the best. Back then, the little boy squirming in the seat next to her had been nothing but a dream. And she had been so torn, so confused with all of it. She knew somehow, in some way of his, her master had actually, well, _cared_ for her? She had been absolutely sure that he had just wanted her for the reason of her purchase, but then that Legilimens had revealed so much...

Hermione shuddered almost imperceptibly, just then fully realizing the past she had put herself in a position to face. She felt as though she were facing someone else's past, someone else's life. Going the other direction, she had allowed the numbness to overwhelm the emotion, and she had been safe. All three of them had been safe. This direction, though, she was no longer running from him. She was running, full force, back to her master.

She jutted her chin forward just then, firmly reminding herself that that was precisely where she was _not _going. He had harshly ordered her to never return to him. She was never to seek him out. If she had felt it necessary, she could contact Harry and Ron only after the war had come to its completion. Now it had, but there was no going back. Going back was not an option. She absolutely had to obey his word.

"Mum?" Hermione pulled out of her thoughts and forced herself to greet little Leo with a smile.

"Yes, Darling?" she asked.

"Are we there yet?" She couldn't help but broaden her smile just a bit, as she and Elvira shared a knowing look.

"Not yet, Sweetheart," she replied.

"Okay," he said, giving a little pout and looking back out over the water.

Knowing Leo as she did, she settled herself in for a long trip of that question revisited and allowed her thoughts to drift from her for a time.

Once they had reached the shore and Hermione could finally answer Leo's persistent questions with an equally emphatic, "yes," the trio made quick work to find Harry and Ron. This didn't prove difficult, as Hermione blushingly recognized her own photograph in a Missing Persons poster just outside the dock.

As she stood there contemplating how to go about reintroducing herself to her old friends, child and Elvira in tow, she heard quick footsteps rushing toward her.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed in what could only have been described as sheer disbelief, thrusting upon her a bone-crushing hug in which she could scarcely breathe.

She couldn't contain the smile that controlled her features as they broke apart. "Ron, it's been so long," she breathed. It felt as though she hadn't breathed in ages.

"It has," he said softly, looking upon her in that way that only he had.

"Is Harry here?" she asked hopefully, looking around.

"Yes, he is, and I know he'll be absolutely delighted to see you."

Hermione's smile grew at his words. He somewhat reluctantly tore his eyes from hers, turning to face a flat a few meters away.

"Oi, Harry!" he shouted into the door. "We've got company!"

"Ron," said the voice Hermione fondly remembered, "don't you know that tonight's..." The words died on Harry's lips as he looked at her in shock. Then, suddenly, she found herself in another bone-crushing embrace. As they broke apart, Hermione glimpsed tears in his eyes. "We thought you were..."

"I know, I know," she said softly. "I'm sure I almost was."

"Mum?" came a small voice from beside her. Hermione looked down in near-surprise, almost having forgotten her travelling mates in the excitement of her reunion. She glimpsed up at Harry and Ron, who were eyeing the child in what appeared to be more curiousity than anything.

She flushed, then hastily said, "Leo, these are two of my very best friends. This is Harry, and that's Ron," she explained, gesturing respectively. "And this," she said, holding him by his tiny shoulders, "is Leo. My son."

"Nice to meet you," Harry and Ron said nearly in unison.

"Nice to meet you, too," said Leo politely.

"And this," Hermione said again, pulling Elvira forward, "is Elvira. She's also one of my closest friends."

"Elvira, is it?" Harry asked, extending his hand forward.

"Yes, that's correct," she replied.

"Nice to meet you," said Ron, his hand lingering possibly a bit longer than necessary.

In the following weeks, Hermione went to great lengths explaining what exactly had happened to her. Where she had gone, what she had seen, and how she and Elvira came to be friends. She, of course, left out any incriminating romantic elements between her relations with her master. All they had needed to know was that she loved Leo with all her heart, and that was truly all that mattered. She tried with all her might to convince herself of the same.

"So, Leo's father is..."

The look on Ron's face told Hermione he had already answered his own question. She simply nodded. "And he let me go because he knew what they'd to do both of us if anyone knew."

"He let you go?" Hermione supposed she couldn't blame Harry for the suspicious look in his eyes.

"Master was really quite good to us, all things considered," Elvira said quietly. Her eyes seemed all too willing to wander to Leo, who had begun playing rather roughly with the three-year-old Otavia, Harry and Ginny's little girl.

"Master?" Ron's face was screwed up in confusion.

"Yes, Ron," Hermione said as politely as she could manage. "There were certain titles we had to use to refer to those who had purchased us, and we were under direct orders to refer to him in no other way."

Ron nodded slowly, but Hermione was sure he would never fully understand. The look in his eyes showed his disgust all too well. In some ways, she doubted she'd ever fully understand it all herself. Even still, her calm acceptance of her previous situation unnerved her.

Hermione drew into herself more within the coming months, allowing her thoughts to wander more and more frequently to him. She wondered where he was. She wondered what he was doing. She wondered who he was doing all of that with. She wondered if he was even alive. Sometimes she allowed herself the full extent of her fantasy, imagining what she would say to him and what he might say to her if they saw one another again. Once in a while, she even contemplated looking for him. Not to find him, necessarily, she assured herself. Just to know.

She vaguely noticed the growing comradery, even fondness, developing between Ron and Elvira. She accepted it openly, realizing not long after their return to England that, try as she might, she knew she still belonged to her master. She couldn't be certain, but she felt quite sure she might always belong to him.

She and Elvira invested in a flat just outside Muggle London, Elvira taking up a job at St. Mungo's and Hermione taking a position in the archival section of the Ministry. Hermione had enrolled Leo in the nearby Muggle school, where he excelled greatly. Elvira grew quite close to all of Hermione's old friends, as Hermione was certain she would, and they once again lived a peaceful existence.

One day, Hermione was studying up on current happenings with Hogwarts while Leo took a nap. He had just returned from a play date with Otavia, and he was quite worn out. Hermione was glad to have the time to herself.

She heard a rather firm knock on the door, and she lifted her head to examine it curiously. That knock certainly didn't sound like a knock that Harry, Ginny, or Ron would make. She was quite puzzled.

Arriving at the door, she peered through the tiny hole to see a man with nearly white-blond hair and stunning grey eyes. Her heart caught in her chest; her breathing skidded to a halt.

Opening the door slowly, she lowered her head toward the floor. Barely raising her eyes to take in his form, she whispered, "Good evening, Master."

She doubted there was any way his curse could still be in effect, but the power he still had over her was immense. It was a palpable tension between the two of them as he walked past her into the room, shutting the door effectively behind him. She was sure he could hear the beating of her heart over even his own words as he replied.

"Good evening," he said slowly in that drawl she realized at once she had missed. He slowly extended two fingers to her chin, lifting her head up to meet his gaze. Her breathing stalled yet again, and she was sure she'd never again receive enough oxygen.

Their eyes locked, powerfully and silently. His eyes were different this time, as she gazed into them wordlessly. Softer, somehow. She began to breathe again, a bit more steadily, as he studied her.

"I take it you're well?" he asked, clearly not doubting the fact. She nodded without words.

"And you followed all my instructions, as I laid them out that night?"

She nodded again, a bit more steadily.

"Good," he replied, offering her a small smile. Butterflies immediately leapt in her stomach, and she smiled in return.

His two fingers lifted her chin higher, closer to him, bringing her lips to his. He covered her lips with his softly, so much more slowly and completely than before. Hermione whimpered, fully complying.

"I've missed you," he said softly, not quite breaking completely from the kiss.

"And I've missed you, Master," she said just as softly.

He broke apart a little more completely than before, taking her shoulders in his hands. "You're no longer bound," he said almost harshly. "There's no need to use such formality."

"Yes, Ma-Malfoy," she stuttered.

He smirked. "That's better," he whispered, sweeping in again for another searing kiss.

A child's cry broke them from their revery. One look into his eyes showed Hermione then that he knew.

If she didn't know better, she'd think the look in his eyes held just a bit of fear.

Taking her hand, he followed her slowly, almost hesitantly, into Leo's room. "This," she said to him upon entering, "is Leo." The child was sitting up in bed, rubbing at tear-stained eyes. He blinked a few times at the sight of the intruder, glimpsing at him suspiciously, then to his mother for an answer.

"Leo," she said softly, "This is Mr. Draco Malfoy." Leo offered the stranger a small smile. Hermione gulped hard then, before adding, "your father."

Leo, who had been eyeing the man, shot his head back in the direction of Hermione's voice. "My...?" He looked back at Draco curiously, reaching out to him. Draco approached slowly, cautiously, almost as though he were afraid of him. Leo's little hands ran through Draco's hair, then ran through his own. His bright eyes were wide and brimming with tears. "My daddy?"

Hermione's heart broke, her own tears spilling over even as she tried to hold them back. "Yes, Leo," she confirmed softly, rubbing her hand along his back. "Your daddy."

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**A/N: A little out of the ordinary for me, but such is life. Let me know what you thought of it. As in, you know, review button where you click "go." It's a good plan.**


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